The Ghost Inside - Get What You Give

The Ghost Inside - Get What You GiveRelease Date: June 19, 2012
Record Label: Epitaph

Life is full of disappointments: Pittsburgh being eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, The Mariners continuing to lose game after game, Greg Oden never living up to his potential, etc. I could go on and on about things that have been a total letdown.

Luckily, my most anticipated album of the year hasn’t let me down. Get What You Give, the band’s third full-length album, met all my high expectations all across the board. It’s definitely one of the best heavy albums of 2012; saying this album is electrifying would be a massive understatement.

When I spoke to lead vocalist Jonathan Vigil last August in Portland, OR, he had this to say about the lyrical aspect of the album:

“My brother actually passed away a year ago, two days before today. Up until that point, I wasn’t focused on things in life that really mattered; I had so much focus in the band and just music, and I neglected alot of things around me. When my brother passed, it shocked me into realizing that there’s more to life than what I have in front of me. A huge part of the album is going to be about that, and big about what’s really important and the things that I neglected.”

The opening track, “This Is What I Know About Sacrifice” packs a punch right away, as Vigil bursts right out of the gate, bellowing “This is what I know about sacrifice, meet me at the crossroads, lets go!” before the band drops into a massive breakdown. The intensity presented in this opening track gives an accurate gauge of how intense the rest of the album is.

One of the most gripping tracks also appears early on “Engine 45”. For the most part, it’s a fast paced thrasher with one of the gnarliest guitar riffs you’ll hear all year. But just when you get comfortable, the track slows down to a stand still, and Vigil steps out and sings “All my life, I’ve been waiting for something that never came, it never came, but I’m still singing…All my life, I’ve been searching for something to break these chains, to break these chains, but I’ll keep swinging”. In context, this was one of the boldest things he could’ve done on this record. He could’ve tried to squeeze it in there and force it, but it would’ve come across as incredibly inauthentic. When I asked him about the inclusion of clean vocals, Vigil explains that it was “kind of a part that just called for it, it wasn't a part we tried to squeeze in or was overproduced, it was something that just felt right”. Engine 45 will definitely become one of the band’s most hailed singles, especially in a live setting.

As mentioned earlier, vocalist Jonathan Vigil’s brother passed away in 2010, and “White Light” is written about him. Fans dealing with tough losses of their own can find solace in the honestly laid out in this track. “I feel his cold breath on my neck, he’s watching my steps and telling me that I could be next” is one of the most hauntingly honest lines of the album.

If you like to bang your head and move to the music, then you’re definitely not going to be disappointed with the instrumentation that’s brought to the table. Tracks like “Outlive” and “Deceiver” hit harder than two fright trucks colliding with each other on the open highway at night. When previous drummer K.C. Stockbridge left, I had my doubts about new addition Andrew Tkaczyk’s ability to fill the gigantic hole K.C. has left; Tkaczyk had previously drummed for fellow contemporary, For The Fallen Dreams. Luckily, not only does Tkaczyk fill those shoes, but he also provides his own style that complements the rest of the band. One of the best examples of how the band complements each other is on “Thirty Three”: Guitarists Aaron Brooks and Zach Johnson dial in some really great guitar tones, Bassist Jim Riley provides a noticeable backbone, and Tkaczyk’s footwork is top notch.

This record sounds absolutely massive, the outside work was at it’s best. Jeremy McKinnon (A Day To Remember) did an excellent job producing the record, and really brought out the best in Jonathan Vigil specifically. Andrew Wade was a really great person to include as an engineer; Andrew has previously worked with bands such as Veara, Motionless In White, and The Word Alive. The record was mixed by Pete Rutcho, who has previously mixed albums for bands such as Bury Your Dead, and Rose Funeral.

At one point, I was fully convinced that the band would never top their sophomore effort, Returners, it was that good. Luckily, Get What You Give hits on all the same cylinders as their previous two albums did, and then some. The combination of Vigil’s honest, yet relatable lyricism and the powerful instrumentation make for the band’s most powerful statement to date. With this being their best album, they’ve once again raised the bar another notch higher for Metalcore. Expect the band to continue to dominate all markets as they cruise through this summer’s Vans Warped Tour, and onto a headliner in the fall.

Probably the biggest disappointment of the year so far. Half of the album is good and half of it is pure trash. Even the "good" tracks have nothing on anything the band has released before. I've listened to it so many times and just can't get into it. Lyrics are weak too, which sucks because I always loved Vigil's lyrics.

Probably the biggest disappointment of the year so far. Half of the album is good and half of it is pure trash. Even the "good" tracks have nothing on anything the band has released before. I've listened to it so many times and just can't get into it. Lyrics are weak too, which sucks because I always loved Vigil's lyrics.

The biggest disappointment in my life was reading this review. Yes, I know, I've had an easy and privileged life if this is the worst thing and blah blah blah. But fuck, I feel like I should just end it now this hurts so bad.

The biggest disappointment in my life was reading this review. Yes, I know, I've had an easy and privileged life if this is the worst thing and blah blah blah. But fuck, I feel like I should just end it now this hurts so bad.

Probably the biggest disappointment of the year so far. Half of the album is good and half of it is pure trash. Even the "good" tracks have nothing on anything the band has released before. I've listened to it so many times and just can't get into it. Lyrics are weak too, which sucks because I always loved Vigil's lyrics.

I'd give it a 7/10 if I was feeling VERY generous.

I was feeling 8/10 myself. Still, the album is very much what you'd expect from the ghost inside